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– Meghan
THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION NEWS
Despite budget season ending a few months ago, the debate over how and how much to fund public education in Hamilton County continues.
Last week, the Hamilton County Commission shot down the chance to let voters decide if they were willing to pay a $60 wheel tax to increase teacher pay, and that led some educators to say they’ve had enough.
More than 70 teachers signed an open letter calling out five commissioners and calling for community support and increased teacher pay this weekend, and more plan on speaking at Wednesday morning’s commission meeting.
Also significant last week were conversations around school safety and security.
More than a dozen Hamilton County schools are without a school resource officer – even though they’ve been budgeted for one – and there’s no telling when the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office might hire them.
Two students were arrested last week at two separate high schools after bringing guns to school and two teens in Polk County were charged Monday after throwing an object at a school bus.
Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Bryan Johnson said at last week’s school board meeting that the district could do better when it comes to student safety and proposed a number of measures to do just that.
Keep reading, for these stories and more!